WILLIAMSBURG — Katie Burnett will not win the LPGA's Kingsmill Championship. Not with this impeccably credentialed leaderboard. Not with seven of the world's top-25 players in her midst entering Sunday's final round.

But as the likes of Cristie Kerr, Suzann Pettersen and Stacy Lewis chase another six-figure check, as Inbee Park looks to continue her 2013 domination, Burnett is the most remarkable presence among the last groups.

Remarkable because Burnett is No. 393 in the world rankings. Remarkable because this is her first LPGA Tour event — she missed the cut after qualifying for the U.S. Golf Association's 2012 U.S. Women's Open.

"Obviously, I (didn't) really have much expectation competing against the best players in the world," said Burnett, a 2012 University of South Carolina graduate, "but I hoped."

Burnett played Saturday with So Yeon Ryu, the world's No. 6 player and the 2011 U.S. Women's Open champion. Ryu shot 73, Burnett 71.

"I definitely had quite a few nerves," Burnett said, "especially today with the big crowd on (the first tee). But I just wanted to come out and have fun. I've been playing well, so I was just hoping that would ride into this week."

That it has. Burnett is 4-under-par through 54 holes, tied with world No. 1 Park for eighth place, six shots behind Kerr, four back of Pettersen and Lewis.

How Burnett, a scholarship-caliber softball player in high school as well, landed in the Kingsmill field is testament to her ambition and connections.

Ambition: After turning professional last year, Burnett entered the qualifying schools for the Ladies European Tour in Morocco and the LPGA Tour in Daytona Beach, Fla.

She finished 25th in Florida, five spots shy of earning full playing privileges. Undeterred, she jetted to Morocco, only to have the airline lose her golf bag.

Playing with rental clubs on the opening day, Burnett managed an even-par round. Reunited with her own sticks, she shot 65 the following day en route to ninth place and LET membership.

Connections: Burnett's instructor the past seven years has been Jared Zak, who's based at the Sea Island resort in Georgia. Sea Island and Kingsmill are sister properties, both owned by Xanterra.

"I think that helped," Burnett said with a smile.

Burnett was playing the LET tournament in South Africa last month when Wayne Nooe, Kingsmill's director of golf, called to invite her. Alas, she couldn't access her voicemail on another continent.

"When I got back into the States, I listened to it," Burnett said. "And I was, oh, I have to call them back because that is a definite yes."

Burnett's international travel schedule would wear out the most seasoned diplomat.

She's played LET events in South Africa and Morocco this year, finishing fourth in the latter. She leaves Sunday night for another European Tour stop, this one in Turkey, after which she'll head directly to Mobile, Ala., and her next LPGA gig.

Oh, and she also played the Symetra Tour — that's the Triple-A baseball of women's golf — event in Scottsdale, Ariz., winning all of $512 for her 41st-place tie.

The winner's check at Kingsmill is $195,000.

But if nothing else, Pete Dye's nuanced, par-71 River Course is almost certain to produce a seasoned champion, witness previous victors such as Kerr, Pettersen, Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb and Se Ri Pak.

"There will never be a surprise around this track of who's going to win," Pettersen said.

Burnett would not be a surprise. She would be a shock, along the lines of John Daly winning the 1991 PGA.

That said, this has been the week for sponsor's exemptions. Kingsmill's other invitation went to 17-year-old Ariya Jutanugarn, who led after the first two rounds and is tied for sixth entering Sunday.

In fact, Jutanugarn won the LET Morocco tournament in which Burnett finished fourth, an experience Burnett will draw upon Sunday.

"My confidence level is definitely much improved since college," she said. "Kind of just been rolling since Q-school. I just really figured out the way I play best, and that's trying to stay as calm and have as much fun as possible, to smile, joke around with the caddie, to not really pay much attention to what I'm doing and what everyone else is doing.

"If I have fun, I usually play well. If I get a little irritated like I did in the middle of today's round, I start making a few bogeys."

Absent her four bogeys Saturday, Burnett would be tied for second. But after three rounds here, none over par, she starting to believe she belongs.

"I'm definitely nervous," Burnett said, "but I think I'm less nervous than I might have been."

David Teel can be reached at 757-247-4636 or by email at dteel@dailypress.com. For more from Teel, read his blog at dailypress.com/ teeltime and follow him at twitter.com/DavidTeelatDP